The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-11-25

" NAO ohA0lA ANAAhCA0 elAOAOADQubnt Onb
they had CONS forward manfuIly with
their coin money and their word money,
and bought the privilege for themselves
and their families of q more luxurious
seat In the Lords house than they had
ever had in their own. And il was lit
orally money given to the Lord too,
for the parish was so small, and the
debt so heavy, that there would in all
probability be no chance of disposing of
spew in time of need, or even of renting
it. Nearly every householder sat in
his pew, and his two or three hun
dred ~hard-earned dollars, except for
the privilege of sitting once a week in
solemn state in his best clothes and lis
tening to the Word, was sunken from
his sight forever.
aunt hlodas husband mad bought q
pew with the rest, and paid $500 for it,
the year before his death.
1t was to this pew that Aunt Rhoda
severely walked up the church aisle the
next morning. 1t vas rather late, and
the congregation were nearly all assem-
bled.
They all stared wonderingly at her;
notthat they were unused TO seeing her
walk up the aisle; she was as regular
about that as the minister. but she car
ried to-day q large carpet-b bag, and that
was certainly unusual.
People nudged each other and whis-
pered and Uttered; qnite a little breeze
of excitement spread over the church,
and heads twisted backwards and side
ways, and craned forward toward
Aunt Rhoda's pew; but she sat there
quietly and listened to the singing,
with her carpet-bag on the seat beside
her.
After the benediction Aunt Rhoda
seated herself again, and did not go out
with the rest of the congregation. Peo-
pie turned around and stared at her sit
ting there, as they went down the aisle.
If it had not been for the carpet bag,
they would not have thought there was
anything singular in her proceeding, for
there was an afternoon service, and the
people often stayed over, aud ate their
lunch they had brought with them in
the church; but they certainly never
brought thoIgaoughnuts and cheese in
lar8e-size6 carpet-dag.
There were a few, from q distance,
who we're going to remain till after
noon meeting to-day. They got to-
gether and covertfy eyed Aunt Rhoda
after the rest had left the church. She
coolly opened her carpet bag, and took
out some crackers and cheese and be-
gan to eat. They whispered and queried
while they ate their own lunch, and
finally some of them went over and in
terviewed Aunt Rhoda, but they found
out nothing; their hints and indirect
questions were alike u~navailing, and not
one of them dared ask her directly what
she had brought her carpet-bag for. To
tell the truth they began to suspect
that Aunt Rhoda's troubles had affected
her mind, and they had, naturally, a.
little delicacy about asking her if she
were crazy.
When she sat composedly down again
beside her carpet bag, after the after
noon service, their was o commotion.
People collected around the church
doors and talked the matter over. Some
thing ought to be done, they agreed.
SO they stopped the minister and con-
suited him, and finally he went back to
speak to Aunt Rhoda.
"Well, Mrs Carpenter" he said,
when he reached the pew where she sat,
her black straw with It's purple roses
tipped back at an angle of defiance.
"how2do o do?"
Aunt Rhoda cautiously reached out
her hand in its wTinkly glove to meet his
proffered one. Nicely, thanky," .
piled she.
Give been meaning to come and see
you all last week. the minister went
on, and / thought to myself, when /
looked around and saw you still seated
here, that would come back and speak
to you. and then we could walk home
together
Al amt goin' home, +" said Aunt Rhoda.
She set her thin lips, and her spectacles
glared deiantly.
mot going home, repeated the min
lister in helpless amazement.
mo, i amt got any home to 60 to.
AS for my livin' any longer in a home
that amt mine, / won't; but this pew is
mine, an my husband bought an paid
for it, an here I'm goin' to set.
"But, dear Mrs. Carpenter, how can
you? How long"
I'm a-goin' to set here till my crack
ers an cheese give out that carpet-bags'
pretty neal full of EN-, an by that time
I think the Lord will send me deliver
ance. I'm goin' to set right here in
this house n pray for il. Think He'll
send Annie Carpenter Mather."
"Bnt you can't stay here all alone;
why, you'll be afraidp cried Mr..
Wilson desperately. He was q young,
inexperienced minister, all unpreparad
for such a contingency ais this. He
was utterly bewildered. AT one time
ho would think Aunt Rhoda crazy, and
at another time not; in fact, he did not
know what to think, but he did want
to do his duty as q clergyman.
Afraid in the Lords housed replied
Aunt Rhoda; why, I'll feel safer here
than ! ever did in my own. No, it amt
no use talking I'm a-goin' to set right
here in my own pew"
Che draw the carnaf-hao oIoanr N